Automatic remote control discharge system for portable fire extinguishers

ABSTRACT

An automatic remote control discharge system for tank-type portable fire extinguishers of the type having a discharge nozzle and a spring-pressed operating lever at the upper end of the unit. A housing structure including means for removably securing an ordinary fire extinguisher thereto has a housing portion partially enclosing the upper end of the attached fire extinguisher, including an actuating lever movable between nonoperating and operating positions. Spring means is provided for resiliently urging the actuating lever in its operating position, and releasable trigger mechanism is provided for normally retaining the actuating lever in its non-operating portion against the urging of the spring means. A trip wire cable interconnecting the trigger mechanism with a remote fusible device serves as heat sensing means operative to release the actuating lever so that it abuts and presses downwardly upon the extinguisher operating lever for discharging a fire extinguishing substance from the nozzle. Pipe means communicating at one end with the fire extinguishing nozzle, conveys a fire extinguishing substance to the remote zone of heat detected by the heat sensing means.

Weise Oct. 30, 1973 AUTOMATIC REMOTE CONTROL DISCHARGE SYSTEM FOR PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS [76] Inventor: George Weise, 1462 Alps Rd.,

Wayne, NJ. 07470 [22] Filed: Dec. 14, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 207,832

[52] US. Cl. 169/26, 169/30 [51] Int. Cl. A62c 35/02 [58] Field of Search 239/29, 26, 30

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,419,083 12/1968 Cholin et al. 169/26 3,392,787 7/1968 Weise 168/26 1,476,594 12/1923 Conover 169/29 1,852,074 4/1932 Carpenter et al.. 169/26 3,613,793 10/1971 Huthsing, Jr 169/26 3,648,778 3/1972 Hutysing, Jr 169/30 [5 7] ABSTRACT An automatic remote control discharge system for tank-type portable fire extinguishers of the type having a discharge nozzle and a spring-pressed operating lever at the upper end of the unit. A housing structure including means for removably securing an ordinary fire extinguisher thereto has a housing portion partially enclosing the upper end of the attached fire extinguisher, including an actuating lever movable between non-operating and operating positions. Spring means is provided for resiliently urging the actuating lever in its operating position, and releasable trigger mechanism is provided for normally retaining the actuating lever in its non-operating portion against the urging of the spring means. A trip wire cable interconnecting the trigger mechanism with a remote fusible device serves as heat sensing means operative to release the actuating lever so that it abuts and presses downwardly upon the extinguisher operating lever for discharging a fire extinguishing substance from the nozzle. Pipe means communicating at one end with the fire extinguishing nozzle, conveys a tire extinguishing substance to the remote zone of heat detected by the heat sensing means.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures AUTOMATIC REMOTE CONTROL DISCHARGE SYSTEM FOR PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS This invention relates to hazardous condition protection units and, more particularly, to the adaptation of such portable fire extinguishers for non-attended use. While not limited thereby, the invention is particularly adaptable to portable hand operated fire extinguishers.

Installation of the fire protection systems frequently utilize permanently installed vessels controlled by automatic sensors and cable release means. The dispensing outlets of such vessels are directed toward especially hazardous areas such as a deep fryer in a restaurant. Installations of such systems use relatively heavy, nonportable vessels. More often, such systems are supplemented by portable, hand operated fire extinguishers distributed at key locations in the less hazardous areas of the building. These portable extinguishers, in the present state of the art require human operators and, consequently, are useless during those hours that the building is unattended.

Thus, an object of this invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive mechanism to permit the automatic, unattended operation of such portable hazard protection devices as fire extinguishers upon detection by a sensor of a fire or other hazardous condition.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tubular means and adapter which can be easily attached to and detached from the nozzles of such portable hazard protection devices, for the purpose of directing the discharge of their contents toward an area likely to be affected by a hazardous condition upon detection by a sensor of a fire or other hazardous condition.

According to this invention a housing is placed over an ordinary portable fire extinguisher or similar type device covering the handle release mechanism and provided with an adapter member extending to the nozzle. Within this housing is a spring-operated lever held in place by a trigger release connected to a trip wire controlled by a sensor. This housing simply sets above the fire extinguisher or similar device. The nozzle has inserted within it, or is inserted within a similar shaped adapter member of a tubular discharge system. The nozzle and adapter member are held in a leak-proof position by an' adjustable, quick release rubber O-ring. Upon detection of a hazardous condition, the sensor releases the trip wire which pulls the trigger, thereby releasing the spring operated lever. The spring operated lever moves toward the handle release of a standard fire extinguisher or similar device, thereby activating the discharge of its contents through the nozzle and then through the tubular discharge system. For manual operation, the O-ring is loosened as the extinguisher is moved away from the adapter member and lifted from the housing. f

Certain words are used in this specification and in the claims indicating direction, relative position, etc. These words are used for the sake of brevity and clarity. It is to be understood, however, that these words are used only in connection with the illustrations of the drawings, and that in actual practice the construction, parts, etc. may have entirely different directions, relative positions, etc. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the present invention can be readily modified to operate with most portable, commercially available, handoperated fire extinguishers and similar hazard protection devices, and hence it is not restricted to the typical fire extinguisher illustrated in these drawings.

Referring now to the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side view of the present invention, with certain portions broken away, illustrating a form of the present invention in use with one type of conventional portable fire extinguisher, and

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the activator mechanism.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates a tank type fire extinguisher suitable for use with an automatic remote control discharge system embodying the invention. Such a fire extinguisher comprises, at the upper end of its tank, a discharge nozzle 11 extending outwardly to one side and operating lever 12 extending outwardly to the opposite side and adapted for manual actuation by squeezing downwardly against a relatively fixed handle portion 12a.

The automatic control discharge system embodying the invention, designated generally by reference numeral 13, comprises a housing 14, of inverted, box-like structure, having a downwardly-extending housing extension portion 15 at one side. Strap means 16 is provided for releasably securing the tank type portable fire extinguisher 10 with respect to the housing 14 so that the discharge nozzle 11 and the operating lever thereof are enclosed within the housing.

A nozzle connector pipe 17 extends through a side wall portion of the housing 14 at one side for connection with the extinguisher nozzle 11, as is hereinbelow more particularly described. A remote sensing and trigger release mechanism 18 also connects with the housing 14, at the other side thereof, for the purpose hereinafter described.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 it will be seen that an activating lever pin 19 is horizontally disposed within the housing 14 near the upper or top wall 14a thereof, said pin being retained in opposed side wall openings in said housing (not illustrated). A pair of actuating springs 20, 21 near each end of the lever pin 19 have one end each thereof anchored with respect to the upper wall 14aof the housing 14 by extending upwardly through spring retainer openings 22 therein (only one illustrated in FIG; 1). A U-shaped actuating lever 23 has its leg end portions journalled in spaced relation along the lever pin 19, as indicated by loops 24 and 25, said loops being adjacent one each of the surrounding torsion coils of the actuating springs 21, 22. The inner ends of the actuating springs 20, 21 extend along the insides of their respective legs of the U- shaped actuating lever 23, and terminate in hook portions 20a, 21a, respectively, bearing down upon said actuating lever. It is to be understood that the actuating springs 20, 21 serve as helical torsion springs and are stressed to resiliently urge the U-shaped actuating lever 23in the downward direction, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Trigger means is provided for releasably retaining U- shaped actuating lever 23 in its upwardly stressed position, as illustrated in the drawings. To this end, a trigger lever 26 is provided, said trigger lever extending at one end through an opening 27 in the housing top wall 14a, whereat it is pivotally journalled with respect to a pivot block 28, and the other end of which terminates in a catch hook 29. The trigger lever 26 is so located and so swingable with respect to its pivot block 28 that the catch hook 29 can hook under an outer end portion of the U-shaped actuating lever 23, as illustrated in FIG.

1, so as normally to retain said actuating lever in its upper or withdrawn position against the reactive force of the torsion actuating springs 20, 21.

Communicating with the nozzle connector pipe 17 is a conduit assembly which extends to the remote area to be protected against fire, such as a fire hazard area designated A in FIG. 1 where it terminates in a flared discharge vent 31. As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the inner end of the nozzle connector pipe 17 terminates in an adapter 32 designed for tight inter-fitting with the nozzle 11 of an associated fire extinguisher 10. Preferably, this nozzle interconnecting adapter will be in the form of a quick-release snap-fit connector provided with an O-ring 33 for intersealing engagement.

The remote sensing and trigger release mechanism 18 comprises a nipple 34 extending through a side wall portion of the housing 14 in the vicinity of the trigger lever 26, and a rigid conduit assembly 35 connected with the outer end of said nipple and terminating in the vicinity of the remote area A to be protected. The distal end of the conduit assembly 35 is fitted with a heat sensor device 36 having a fusible link 37 at its outer end. A flexible trip wire 38 extending through the nipple 34 and rigid conduit 35 is secured at its inner end to the catch hook portion 29 of trigger lever 26. The other end of the trip wire 38 is secured to a piston member 41 slidable within the sensor 36. An annular abutment member within the housing of the sensor 36 serves as a seat for one end of a helical compression spring 39 within the sensor and circumjacent the trip wire 38. The outer end of the compression spring 39 is constrained against the inside of the piston member 41. A rigid piston rod 42 secured at one end to the piston member 41 and secured at the other end to a fusible link 37 extending outwardly of the housing of the sensor 36, normally retains the compression spring 39 in compressed, stressed condition, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

In use of the device, heat of a hazardous degree emanating from the protected zone or area A will melt the fusible link 37 of the sensor 36, thereby relieving back pressure upon the piston member 41 and enabling it to move outwardly under the compressional force of helical spring 39. The movement of the piston member 41 carries with it the trip wire 38, whereupon the interconnected trigger lever 26 will be released from the activating lever 23. The activating lever 23 will thereupon, under the influence of the actuating springs 20, 21, press downward upon the operating lever 12 of the fire extinguisher 10, causing it to discharge through conduit 30 and discharge vent 31 to extinguish the fire at the area A.

While I have illustrated and described herein only one form in which my invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to be understood that this form is present by way of example only and not in a limiting sense. The invention, in brief, comprises all the embodiments and modifications coming within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic remote control discharge system for tank type portable fire extinguishers having a discharge nozzle and an operating lever normally resiliently retained in a first position relative to said extinguisher retaining said extinguisher in its nonoperating condition and having a second position for placing the extinguisher in its extinguishing condition comprising an open bottom housing having a top wall and side walls extending downwardly from said top wall, an actuating lever pivotally mounted at one end within said housing and extending towards one side wall of said housing, resilient means tending to pivot said lever towards said housing open end, a hook shaped lever pivotally mounted in said housing at a position for engaging the other end of said lever and detachably retaining said lever in a position constraining said resilient means, heat sensor means, a wire extending through said housing one side wall and pivotally connected at one end portion to said hook shaped lever and at its other end being releaseably connected to said heat sensor means, a second resilient means connected to said wire and tending to pull said wire and thereby said hook shaped lever from said actuating lever for releasing said other end of said actuating lever whereby said first resilient means would pivot said actuating lever, means for detachablysupporting said fire extinguisher through said housing open bottom with said fire extinguisher operating lever positioned for being moved to its second position by said actuating lever upon the release thereof and a conduit means detachably connected to said fire extinguisher discharge nozzle.

2. An automatic remote control discharge system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conduit means comprises a pipe having a tapered adapter member at one end shaped to fit into the fire extinguisher nozzle, an

O-ring having a quick release fitting over said adapter member and inside said nozzle providing a leak-proof fit. 

1. An automatic remote control discharge system for tank type portable fire extinguishers having a discharge nozzle and an operating lEver normally resiliently retained in a first position relative to said extinguisher retaining said extinguisher in its nonoperating condition and having a second position for placing the extinguisher in its extinguishing condition comprising an open bottom housing having a top wall and side walls extending downwardly from said top wall, an actuating lever pivotally mounted at one end within said housing and extending towards one side wall of said housing, resilient means tending to pivot said lever towards said housing open end, a hook shaped lever pivotally mounted in said housing at a position for engaging the other end of said lever and detachably retaining said lever in a position constraining said resilient means, heat sensor means, a wire extending through said housing one side wall and pivotally connected at one end portion to said hook shaped lever and at its other end being releaseably connected to said heat sensor means, a second resilient means connected to said wire and tending to pull said wire and thereby said hook shaped lever from said actuating lever for releasing said other end of said actuating lever whereby said first resilient means would pivot said actuating lever, means for detachably supporting said fire extinguisher through said housing open bottom with said fire extinguisher operating lever positioned for being moved to its second position by said actuating lever upon the release thereof and a conduit means detachably connected to said fire extinguisher discharge nozzle.
 2. An automatic remote control discharge system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conduit means comprises a pipe having a tapered adapter member at one end shaped to fit into the fire extinguisher nozzle, an O-ring having a quick release fitting over said adapter member and inside said nozzle providing a leak-proof fit. 